This is in line with my earlier question on the greatest Tiger I tank that ever fought in the war. Does anybody know who the top ALLIED tank ace of WWII was? I’m presuming it to be Russian as Western tanks tended to cut to pieces when facing Panthers or Tigers. What tank did he use? or while I’m at it, who was the top AMERICAN tank ace of the war? What version of the Sherman did he use or did he have to wait for a Pershing?
According to my resources, a book called ‘Tank Aces’ written by George Forty, there was an American tanker called Lafayette Pool. He served in the 3rd Armd Div. According to Forth’s book, Pool credited, together with his gunner Cpl Willis Oller 258 enemy armoured vehicles during the fighting in Europe. His kills included Panther, PzKpfw IIIs and IVs, StuG, anti-tank guns, and various half-tracked APCs.
You can also check with this site
http://www.3ad.org/wwii_heroes/pool_lafayette/pool_home.htm
Boy, isn’t that incrediable? I wonder why Hollywood never makes a movie about him.
BTW, Pool used 3 Shermans called ‘In the Mood’, ‘In the Mood II’ and ‘In the Mood III’. But I don’t know what Sherman version he used. Anyone has any idea? Shermanfreak can you shine any light? Thanks.
just a guess but if he racked up that many kills he would probably have had a better sherman like a Jumbo Sherman.
According to the info that I have gotten on Pool, the score of 258 kills was achieved in only 83 days of combat … quite impressive. His first tank was a standard M4 or M4A1 with a 75mm gun. Both “in the Mood II and III” were M4A1s with the 76mm gun.
Airbrush - just a side note, the Jumbo had no more firepower than a standard 75 or 76 Sherman. It had thicker armour and was used quite often as a point vehicle.
Thanks Shermanfreak. BTW one more site of Lafayette Pool:
http://www.3ad.org/wwii_heroes/pool_lafayette/pool_ordnance1.htm
Hyperscale site has a report for a resin figure of Pool:
http://www.kitreview.com/reviews/sgtpoolcs_1.htm but there is no pic.
I know it had no more fire power but it did have thicker armor so just saying there was a possibility that a tiger round could have like grazed it or something and a round that would have taken out a regular sherman didnt take it out.
Not to discredit Mr. Pools accomplishments, but 258 kills in less than three months of combat? Are you sure some of those kills weren’t ox-carts and bicycles? Ah… but he was at the helm of that infamous tank-busting vehicle - a Sherman!
hate to see a bicycle after it got hit with a 76 HE.
I’m going to have to agree with tigerman on this one. I’m a little skeptical. We are talking about a little over 3 kills for each day in combat. Sounds like he racked up a lot of light armored vehicles for kills.
Still, I have to say sounds like a typical Texican, and a boxer to boot. The man had balls in that Sherman!!! Good to hear that the germans weren’t the only ones kicking behind in tanks over there.
My question is, did the Germans count trucks as kills or did only a tank count. 258 kills had to definitely be a lot of trucks and half tracks. Machine gun kills
Thanks for all the replies. They’re all pretty useful. Though I’m a little skeptical about the 258 kills with a Sherman M4A1. Looks like I’ll have to dig my nose into a few more books to find out the real score. After all we are looking for tank killers here right? I guess it was to Pool’s great fortune that the biggest he ever got to kill was a Panther. I’d hate to think of what would’ve happened had he bumped into Tiger Is or IIs. Sherman’s didn’t tend to survive long when hit by by an 88mm shell.
in a second book ive got says Col Creighton Abrams
Abrams was one of the most successful US tank commanders of ww2, and the current US tank is named in his honor. his Tanks were named Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt IV was a M4A3(76)W HQ 37th tank Bn., 4th Armored Division . Dec 1944
Thunderbolt VII was a M4A3E8 head of the 4th Armored Combat Command A . feb 1945
In regards to the debates about Sgt. Pool’s kills. His kills as pointed out in one of the earlier posts included everything from the Panther down. 258 kills and I will add that these were all armoured vehicles (not ox carts or bicycles) is still impressive in its own right. Yes the Tiger would have been a little more formidible a foe but would he have come out on top or not would be purely speculation.
After all … how could a lowly Sherman ever take out a Tiger.
Oh ya … I remember now …see below
Just tickling your funny-bone Shermanfreak. Sgt. Pool gets kudos from me. Is he still alive? Did he publish anything?
it would have to be an ambush for a sherman to take out a tiger(I like the sherman, shermanfreak, but you have to go with facts once in a while) Also, during the battle of the bulge, the way they would take out tigers is they would send abut 5 or 6 shermans around in a flanking maneuver, and (because they were faster than the tigers) get around behind and start blasting away at the weak rear. They would lose 2 or so shermans but they would take out the tiger.
Tigerman - I believe he passed away recently (within the last couple of years anyway). As far as his story goes, he had a deal with one of the major studios to produce his story, but got into some sort of conflict with them so it never got off the ground. Not sure if there was an autobiography produced or not.
Abrams -
Yes, the 5 to 1 ratio was a commonly used tactic in taking on a Tiger. And yes there were many losses in achieving the end results. And yes going nose to nose on a level playing field with a Tiger the Sherman would always lose, but battles aren’t often fought on a level playing field. Terrain, buildings and a myriad of other factors like range and the first shot come into play. Under those conditions could a Sherman take out a Tiger nose to nose, absolutely.
In one of the links that Anthony provides, it says that Pool died on May 30, 1991. Also seems like he got a lot of first shots off. Sounds like the one time the Panther got the first shot, Pool lost his tank.
The link states that Pool would always ride with his head out of the tank, constantly on the look out for the enemy. Call this stupid, smart, or gutsy, it worked. Like in most fights, it sounds like his aggressiveness is what made him so good at his job
This guy seems like the kind of guy you always want playing on your team.[:D]
riding with your head out was common practise for all armour commanders, you have to see the enemy first and is harder to see anything buttend up
plus it would be quicker to get out if your hit
In honor of Pool’s accomplishments, perhaps the military might name a future MBT after him. Until then, M1’s rule the world!
you won’t hear me disagreeing!!!